Summer Sports
by Dark-Fox1
Summary: Madam Hooch invites her girlfriend to attend the Quidditch World Cup with her (girl/girl)


Title: Summer Sports  
  
Author: Dark-Fox  
  
Brief Summary: Hooch and Valerian attend the Quidditch World Cup.  
  
Pairing: Madam Hooch/Professor Valerian (Original Character)  
  
Warning: If girl/girl relationships bother you, you probably won't like this story! If you choose to read on, I take no responsibility if you are offended and you have no right to flame me for it. If you haven't read Goblet of Fire, there might be a couple of spoilers – not drastic ones, but you might find the plot a little more confusing if you haven't read the book.  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine. It's darling J.K's world, I just frolic in its pretty meadows. Apart from Hazell Valerian and any of her family that might be mentioned, I don't own any of these lovely people. Any assumptions that I have made about their character, sexuality, appearance etc that is not in the books is purely conjecture. They did want to belong to me, they said I was much more fun. But Ms. Rowling offered them a higher salary and fruit teas, so they went to her instead.  
  
This story is written slightly differently from the others, being written entirely from the point of view of Hazell Valerian.  
  
Just one more point – I know there's a big dispute about Madam Hooch's first name, sources indicate that it's either Xiomara or Rolanda. Since there's no official word from J K herself, I'll choose to use Xiomara 'cause I like it better. And because it's shortenable to Mara, which is a lovely name!  
  
Oh, and huge love and hugs to everyone who reviewed the other stories, it really means a lot to me. Reviews are the nicest thing you can do, so PLEASE if you enjoy this, click on that little box at the bottom of your screen…  
  
  
  
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Summer Sports  
  
1 Chapter the First – Invitation  
  
The last day of the Summer term is always odd, in one way or another. I've been at Hogwarts long enough to have witnessed only one of them before, this one will be my second. No one is paying much attention to anything they're told – the students don't want to work, and we don't want to be teaching them so we have a sort of unspoken agreement. I'm feeling in unusually high spirits as I face my last class of the term. It's a 6th year Ravenclaw class, I don't usually have any trouble with them and today proves no different. We spend the entire lesson playing with hair colour spells and I let them in on a few charms that can be used cosmetically. They don't last long, so there's not much chance of the students doing themselves any permanent damage.  
  
There's relief all round when the bell rings for the end of the lesson, the students hurriedly throw their wands and books back into their bags and stampede out of my classroom, leaving me alone in my chair behind the desk, filing the last of their essays on The Application of Illusion in Architecture into a large blue box-file. That done, I swing my bag over my shoulder and head down to the Great Hall for the traditional end of term feast.  
  
The students are even noisier than usual as I wade my way between the house tables to my seat with the rest of the staff. In fact, my colleagues are not much better themselves, everyone is chatting and laughing – the summer holidays are a relief for us as well as the children! Even Severus seems to have struck up a conversation with Professor Sprout (although granted, it's probably about the shortage of Bindweed that the Potions cupboard has suffered this year) and unless my eyes deceive me, Minerva seems to be laughing as well! Of course, we were all disappointed to hear of Remus's departure, but we can't let that spoilt our merriment. I slip into my usual seat beside Xiomara Hooch, who greets me with a quick kiss, regardless of whether the students notice or not – which they probably don't they're all so engrossed in their exam results and talk of their summer holidays.  
  
Mara and I have been together since I first arrived at Hogwarts – literally. It was one of those fabled "love-at-first-sight" things, if you like. Of course, we don't broadcast it to the whole school, most of the staff know about us by now and Minerva has requested that we keep it quiet. Any relationship in the staff would quickly become the talking point of the whole school, let alone one between two witches. We don't mind, we don't need to be stared at and Gods know, there's more than enough privacy in the castle if we want it.  
  
"Had a good last day, Ella?" she asks me, her amber eyes flashing in the torch-light like a cat's.  
  
"Not bad thanks, no accidents or students turning themselves into animals today." I laugh, remembering a strange incident a couple of weeks ago involving that Longbottom boy and a walrus. Still don't know how he did it…..  
  
"Any plans for the Summer?"  
  
"Not really. I have to visit my parents at some point, but other than that it looks like I'm going to be sitting on my own in my flat or shopping." Mara seems pleased with this answer, and there's a twinkle in her brilliant eyes that suggests she's about to say something important.  
  
"That's good……Meet me in the west corridor after the feast, there's something I want to show you." Uh oh. Now I'm nervous. I hope it's a good "something", not the sort of "something" that is going to result in a fight of some sort!  
  
The rest of the feast passes uneventfully, Gryffindor's have won the House Cup again and Dumbledore announces Remus Lupin's leaving. Mara leaves a few minutes before the end – presumably to arrange this "something" that I am to be shown. When the feast is over, I dutifully make my way through the doors to the west corridor, which is almost always deserted between classes. Mara is there, just as she promised – perched on a window seat. She smiles as I approach her, and rises to greet me.  
  
"So Mara, what's this mysterious something? This had better be good." I chuckle, looking her up and down to see if she has anything peculiar concealed on her person. Nothing obvious leaps at me. She puts one hand inside her robes, and draws out an envelope. Great. It's a letter. How fascinating. She pulls out the letter and begins to read:  
  
"Madam Xiomara Hooch  
  
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry  
  
As you are no doubt aware, Britain has been given the honour of hosting this summer's Quidditch World Cup Final for the first time in 30 years. As a Quidditch and Flying Instructor, the Department for Magical Games and Sports is pleased to invite you and a partner to attend this illustrious event, and have secured for you two seats in a box reserved for the Flying teacher's from all of Europe's top wizarding schools. Please find enclosed your tickets and a map informing you of your nearest portkeys for the date in question.  
  
Look forward to seeing you there,  
  
Ludo Bagman,  
  
Head of Department for Magical Games and Sports"  
  
She looks up at me with a big grin. I've heard about the World Cup, obviously, but I've never been to one before. Lucky Mara, getting invited by the Ministry!  
  
"Isn't that great? We'll have first class seats, and we'll get to meet the Flying teachers from all over Europe." I do a small double take as she speaks.  
  
"We?"  
  
"Of course. Ella, I want you to be my "partner" as the letter puts it. If you can come, that is…."  
  
"Of course I can come! I'd love to, I mean it's not as if my summer schedule is jam-packed or anything. I can't wait!" Mara throws her arms around me, holding me close in a hug of celebration.  
  
"Oh I AM glad, Ella. And you MUST come and stay with me afterwards, we're going to make this the best summer ever!" she beams. Well, it has to top last summer. All I did was spend a week in Austria with my Aunt Abigail, the most boring witch ever to grace the planet. After that I mostly spent my time at my family's house arguing with my brothers.  
  
The next morning the students cram themselves into the Hogwarts express to head home, and the professors are left alone in the empty, echoing castle to pack their things and head off to where ever they are going. Since Mara and I both live in the Cotswolds for the rest of the year, we have quite a way to travel. Apparating is the quickest way, but we can't risk being seen by muggles so we decide to fly half of the way – there's enough cloud to stop us being seen – and apparate in a woodland halfway between our two towns. From there we can make our own ways however seems best at the time.  
  
It's late that evening before I stumble through the door of my flat, my broomstick and trunk following close behind me. I collapse into an armchair and light the fire in the grate with a wave of my wand. I don't have to worry about using magic, I was lucky enough to find an old witch who owned this big country house and was letting it out as flats to other magical folks. Works out well for everyone.  
  
Picking up a copy of "The Daily Prophet" that was delivered this morning, I flick through to a section on this year's Quidditch World Cup. Might as well find out what it is I'm going to see. Mara said she'd write to me in the next few days, so I should find out the details soon enough. 


End file.
